Ford Custom Deluxe
As part of the new redesign of Ford cars after World War II, the name “Custom” was applied to the top trim level of Ford’s automotive line. The 1950 models had a 114-inch wheelbase and were 196.8 inches in length. That year, the name was changed to Custom Deluxe. When the car moved to the midpoint of the Mainline and the Crestline models in 1952, the name of the Custom Deluxe was changed to Customline.
Five years later in 1957, the name Custom returned along with a new series called the Custom 300. Both models were one level below the Fairlane and the Fairlane 500. The lowest model on the totem pole was the base Custom. Its primary customers were people or organizations interested in buying a fleet of cars. The Custom 300 was definitely a step up. Its target market was consumers who were concerned with getting a great value. From 1956 onward, the Custom and the Custom 300 largely took the place of the Mainline and the mid-range Customline.
In 1958, the Custom 300 dropped to the level of a base model and was discontinued in 1960.
The Absence of the Custom
For three years, from 1960 to 1963, all Fords with the name Custom were absent from Ford’s lineup. They were replaced by either the Galaxie or the Fairlane. The base level of Fords at the time were called the Ford 300 series. In 1964, the Custom nameplate resurfaced and was once again the economy line of vehicles. The Custom was made up of two series’- a base Custom and a Custom 500 which had trim that was moderately better.
Most of the Customs sold were bought by police departments and taxi fleets in the 60s. However, any customer who was looking for a basic, no-frills mode of transportation in the form of a full-size car could purchase one. The Custom 500 was directed more toward price conscious buyers who wanted an automobile at low cost, but one that wasn’t stripped to the bone.
What separated the Custom 500 from its less expensive sisters was the roof drip moldings, a chrome trim fender strip, carpeting, a modestly upgraded cloth-and-vinyl upholstery, and a few other minor conveniences.
Performance of the Ford Custom
For the most part, Customs and Custom 500s were fitted with either a basic inline six-cylinder engine or a small-block V8 engine. In their early years, the engines were 289 cubic inches. By the mid to late 1970s, they had grown to 351. Police departments and customers who wanted a performance based vehicle could purchase the large block V8 engine that could generate up to 425 horsepower with transmissions that ranged from overdrive and four-speed manual to SelectShift automatic.
It wasn’t until 1972 that a powertrain combination of a six-cylinder engine and three-speed manual transmission were standard. Also, all V8-powered engines had SelectShift as standard the same model year.
The Ford Custom was discontinued and dropped from production after 1972, but the Custom 500 remained available for several more years.
